Where Will Terrell Owens Wind Up Next?

ESPN is reporting that the Dallas Cowboys have released WR Terrell Owens, ending the player’s third choppy relationship with an NFL franchise.  The only question that remains is, where will T.O. wind up next?

It’s hard to imagine Owens being a fit anywhere, because let’s face it, he’s the best possible definition of “a square peg in a round hole”.  And while there were moments where his cancerous personality seemed to be showing signs of improvement and maturity, the adventures in Dallas last season eventually brought us all back to reality.

Combine that with T.O’s increasingly more severe case of the “dropsies”, and slightly declining skillset, Owens may not be attractive to many teams—especially in this economy.

But there aren’t many players who work harder off the field, and Owens is likely to want to prove his critics wrong.  Therefore, in the end, it’s hard to imagine one team not taking a chance on him, but the question is who? 

For starters, here are a few options and why each may or may not make sense:

Kansas City Chiefs

-          GM Scott Pioli has taken a chance before on an extreme personality in Randy Moss.

-          New head coach Todd Haley is a no-nonsense guy, and that trait was displayed in last season’s NFC Championship with Anquan Boldin.

-          Owens would add another target for new QB Matt Cassel, who is used to having big targets.  Plus, it will open up more doors for Dwayne Bowe, Tony Gonzalez, and Larry Johnson.

-          While the Chiefs likely will be better, they still probably won’t be an elite team, and everyone knows how T.O. gets when he’s not winning.

Washington Redskins

-          Everyone knows how the Redskins love to make a splash with big names, often leading to undesirable results.

-          Last offseason, Washington was seeking a big target with a strong personality in Chad Johnson.  T.O. fits that bill.

-          Owens would certainly have the drive to play for another team in the NFC East, allowing him to exact revenge on both the Eagles and Cowboys.

-          On the other hand, the Redskins did invest in a few receivers in last year’s draft, and they likely could be satisfied with the depth that they have at that position.

Baltimore Ravens

-          When traded to Philadelphia a few years back, Owens was mentioned in Baltimore on a number of occasions, where apparently the Ravens were looking to acquire him.

-          The Ravens still could use another big target in the passing game, and Joe Flacco’s arm can certainly deliver the deep ball.

-          On the other hand, do the Ravens really want to do that to Joe Flacco, who is just entering his second season?

New York Jets

-          Former top target Laveranues Coles left the Jets and signed with Cincinnati, filling the void left by former Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

-          In a draft that’s deep at wide receiver, it’s possible that New York could look to fill the void left by Coles by drafting a top rookie wideout.

-          Close to the playoffs last year, this is a team that may want to match division rival New England by adding another big target in the passing game.

Oakland Raiders

-          The Raiders took a chance on Randy Moss, and everyone knows how that worked out.  Still, Oakland is in need of some more weapons in the passing game, and Owens could still have some life left.

-          Who other than owner Al Davis would take a chance on this guy?

There are certainly other possibilities out there, and this was meant to be a starter.

Then again, there’s another interesting possibility. That is, Terrell Owens drifting towards a Barry Bonds-like retirement, where he wants to play and feels like he has a few years left in him, but no team wants to take a chance on his personality.

Only time will tell.  Until then, the NFL gets a T.O. from T.O.